


You belong with me

by Trueffle123



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII : The Last Jedi, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Competition, Dreamsharing, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flirting, Force Bond (Star Wars), Jealous Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, Kylo Ren is Not Nice, Love Triangles, Or will Rey become Empress?, Pining, Poe is such a sweet bf, Protective Poe Dameron, Redeem Kylo Ren?, Rey can't decide, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, Virgin Rey, but even the force ships it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-15 14:29:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13615314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trueffle123/pseuds/Trueffle123
Summary: Excerpt:Would he scream at her? Lash out? Rey’s pulse began to quicken. She was torn apart. Her heart told her to stay, even though her mind demanded that she left the snake behind…!“Rey.”Force, how she hated when he used that baritone voice to call out to her. How she detested the way he could mix longing and hurt with her name….But out of the blue a radiating calm interfered. Rey felt thick skin cover her dry right hand, which wasn’t as callous as it used to be back on Jakku. The former scavenger immediately felt the warm spread within her conflicted self and how her inner insecurities faded away… Her hazel eyes lit up and she let her chin rise slowly. “I will help you” Poe said to her, unafraid of the consequences.[ smut in later chapters / heavy pining ]





	1. A helping hand

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys.
> 
> We are all Reylo obsessed. I know.  
> But I saw the way Poe had shaken Rey's hand at the end of TLJ, too.  
> So this is your (typical?) love triangle story :-)
> 
> Hope you will enjoy it!
> 
> PS: I am not a native english speaker, so I am sorry if I there are grammatical errors in the text.  
> I'd love a beta, if you feel challenged to correct my English ;-)

**Chapter 1**

Poe and Leia had decided that the remaining rest of the Resistance should spread across the Galaxy to gather and to fathom their options. Needless to say that after Crait (and the fact that no ally had answered Leia’s emergency call) the future of the Resistance was uncertain.

The last Jedi had vanished during his already legendary duel with the Supreme Leader, leaving the thousands of planets in dangerous incertitude.  
Only a handful of people knew the truth about Luke Skywalker’s last moments. On the side of the Resistance the information about Leia’s brother’s circumstances were only revealed to Leia, Rey and Poe Dameron. No one else was to be entrusted with the truth about the Galaxy’s most famous warrior for justice, as the information could be the nail on the group’s coffin.  
  
Rey was standing outside their new hide-out camp on Rhamalai and enjoyed inhaled the planet's moist air. The green forest around her was quiet mostly, as the indigenous singing birds were diurnal creatures. A perfect setting for a good meditation, wasn't it?  
  
_'Emotion, yet peace._  
_Ignorance, yet knowledge._  
_Passion, yet serenity._  
_Chaos, yet harmony._  
_Death, yet the Force.'_  
  
The brunette’s hands were locked firmly behind her back, while she repeated the mantra devotedly.  
  
Truth was that Rey wasn’t able to find the peace ever since _that_ evening. Only confusing emotions of betrayal, gratitude, comfort and frustration circulated in her system.  
Then she thought about the knowledge – something she was absolutely lacking, especially with Luke now gone.  
  
Ignorance. Yes, she was ignoring a certain someone at any cost. Obviously the Jedi Code wasn’t referring to the kind of ignorance she used when trying not to think about a certain tall figure (thanks to R'iia Ben had recently given up to get her to communicate with him) at the margin of the next tree line.  
  
A sigh escaped the young foce wielder's lips.  
  
Sometimes it was painfully hard to ignore her bond mate. Actually she had countless times forced herself not to open her eyes and check if Ben looked as exhausted today as he had while kneeling in the ashes of Crait...

_'Crap, I got distracted again.'_

Next in line was serenity. During their last force bond session Ben had repeatedly shouted at her that she wasn’t one for the Light side, because she was lacking serenity. The fallen son of the Organa-Solo clan saw Rey as a handler of passion. **_‘You remember the way you bared your teeth at me on Starkiller…or how you flinched at your opponents in the Throne Room?- You are just like me, Rey!’_**  
Perhaps Ben wasn’t wrong with everything he thought to know about…  
  
Certainly the Ren Knight's claim to know what was in her interest had turned Rey’s world upside down. He was the embodiment of chaos that threatened to destroy her friends, beliefs and life. Yet Rey’s other half had promised her that together they could reach a state of ultimate harmony.  
So following this logic she would have to give into the chaos in order to reach the state of harmony.  
  
Did that make sense even to the Force itself?  
  
Feeling frustrated the former scavenger let the breath out of her lungs.  
  
Unfortunatelly it took only seconds until grim thoughts entered her young and troubled mind again: what was she doing here?  
  
Could she be any help to the Resistance?  
  
Everyone in the provisional camp believed in her.  
  
Fighters, mechanics and even the Commanders watched her with awe whenever she entered their small cantine.  
  
Finn admired her in a way a brother would be proud of his special family member.  
  
Poe and Leia had sparks in their eyes whenever meeting her in the corridor. They somehow believed that she would continue Luke's legacy.  
  
But what kind of force user was she? She had received merely 4 days of Jedi Training from her _master_. So certainly she couldn’t be called a Jedi.

“And I don’t even know how to fix my lightsaber…”

The scrawny brunettes thoughts of doubt were interrupted as her senses signalized that someone had stepped out of the camp entrance. Deciding not to turn around yet, Rey tested her growing force skills and tried to make out _who_ decided to approach her.  
  
The person coming closer had a light aura, definitely positive and somehow male.  
Rey didn’t really know how the aura gave off a feeling of belonging to a member of the opposite sex, but the Force didn’t always make sense anyway.  
  
Suddenly a hand clapped softly against her petite physic. Poe Dameron. Only the Resistance poster boy used to tap his peers backs as a form of greeting.  
Upon her arrival Rey had used to struggle with this particular form of greeting. She felt it was very personal... But winning people over with his casual charm was something that the Resistance best pilot had a knack of. Somehow Poe tore down walls with his white teeth and unobtrusiveness that anyone he met quickly imposed trust into the dark haired man. That was probably the reason Leia handled him as her successor.  
  
A smile appeared on Rey’s troubled features while glancing to her new friend and she immediately noticed how Poe’s scent remembered her of fresh mint.  
Yes, even Poe’s scent worked in his way to get him in favor with anyone and Rey felt herself relax.  
  
“I have fantastic news, Miss Jedi!” There was that spark again in the man’s eyes, the one he had shown her ever since Rey had lifted the first rock from the cavern’s entrance…  
  
“Will we have a solid dinner today?” The joke never got old among their group, which feasted on dried portion every night.  
  
“Better. Tomorrow I am taking you out.” A smug grin was plastered on his face.  
  
Rey lifted her eyebrows to the flirtatious component of Poe’s answer.  
The pilot was mocking her – no doubt.  
  
“And what will we do? Hunt some Rhamalai worms in the forest, so we will have solid food the day after tomorrow?” Poe smile grew into a laughter, which Rey joined happily. She cherished carefree moments like this, and regarding the feeling in her stomach probably even her soul carved it…  
  
Poe drew the Jedi closer and threw his right arm unceremoniously around her shoulder.  
Rey on the other side was not sure what to do with her hands in return. What did _normal_ people do, when their friend grabbed them around the shoulder?  
Did they leave their hands hanging next to their body’s?  
Or…return the gesture?  
  
Acting on instinct, the smaller brunette decided to rest her hand on Poe’s back. As a response Poe simply nodded down at Rey and began taking small steps, before revealing: “The communal leader of Argona is receiving us… It seems Leia was able to remind them how the Empire used to treat them and that they need to support us, if they don’t want the history to repeat itself…”  
  
The voice of the pilot was dead serious now, full with conviction of their cause but not forceful. Rey nodded carefully, remembering that Leia told her upon their arrival how the Empire used to take a son from each family of Rhamalai to ensure their loyalty…  
  
“And you are sure that you want me to accompany you to such an important meeting?”  
  
After the words had left Rey’s lips she felt the twitch in her spine again, which only meant that her conversation with Poe was not private anymore.  
Rey felt the silence engulf them, so she was able to listen to Poe’s steady breathing next to her.  
It was enough to turn her eyes a bit further from Poe to see that the new Supreme Leader had materialized a jump from her friend.

Unlike most times the Force usually connected them, Kylo was now sitting stiffly on something while his elbows were clearly resting on some kind of table.  
  
As her eye’s met her bond mate’s form, she noticed how elegantly his huge hands (Kylo didn’t wear gloves, so he must have been somewhere inside) were folded in front of his temples.

“Is there something?” Poe questioned, attempting to check if some animal was approaching him and had drawn Rey’s attention.  
But there was nothing he could make out, so his piercing gaze landed on Rey again.  
  
Rey immediately snapped out of her staring, fighting the feeling of embarrassment of having been caught staring at Ben’s thinking physic.  
  
Not that Poe was able to see the Leader of their gruesome enemy, but Rey still felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She had given into her urge. She was still the naïve moth getting burnt by Ben Solo’s personal hell.  
  
At the question Ben, too, had snapped out of his thoughts and his dark eyes were now observing his bond mate.

Was she with someone? Yes, the scavenger had positioned herself strangely. As if she was leaning on someone.

Rey felt how Ben’s dark stare ran through her bones – and her feeling told her, that he was not happy with what he saw. The young woman could feel the bitterness of disappointment he tried to hide and the rage he desperately tried to contain.

It made her feel uncomfortable, too.

It seems the Supreme Asshole had found another way to torture her… But how was it possible that she felt as if Ben had reason to be angry? As if he had witnessed his bond mate doing something…forbidden? But the notion alone was nuts! She had every right to get friendly with her kind.

Or?

Deciding to ignore Ben’s glaring, Rey squeezed the fabric of Poe’s tunic to get him to turn around. Poe, completely oblivious to the magic of the Force, obliged happily.

“Let’s go back.” It was an imperative wish that Rey exhaled towards her comrade, while she withdrew her hand from the taller fighter’s back.  
“Rey?” Noticing the shift in the Jedi’s demeanor, it was now the upcoming General’s turn to regard Rey with questions in his posture.

It didn’t take him long to realize, what was going on… The battle of Crait had ended almost two moons ago. As Rey became aware that with Snoke’s death the bond hadn’t been closed off and she was not able to shut Ben out completely, she decided it was time for a confession.  
  
For this she had asked to meet the old General and Poe (who hardly left Leia’s side anymore) on a quiet evening. There she revealed the truth of her bond, her bond mate and that she didn’t know how to handle all of it.

She knew that with just her luck it wouldn’t be long for Kylo to appear in critical moments, moments in which the Resistance shared important information about strategic plans and locations. It was her duty to protect the secrets of the Resistance.

So, the conspired group of three agreed it would be best that Rey gave them a signal if Kylo showed up in undesirable moments. “You are not alone in this, I- We - will help you” was the encouragement Poe had offered his Jedi companion back than with his dashing smile, but secretly she doubted that he could be of any use…

Meanwhile Kylo regarded the scene like a ticking time-bomb. Rey knew that his patience was about to run out – and Force knows what he was able to do even with a galaxy between them!

With another nod, Poe withdrew from Rey and started walking towards the entrance of the Resistance camp.

Rey, however, struggled. It was as if her legs were suddenly glued to the soiled ground.  
  
She wasn’t sure if she should leave Ben behind like this. It felt wrong.

But what was the point in staying?

Would she speak to him once Poe was gone?

Would she try to comfort him, because he seemed in such a miserable state right now?

Would he scream at her?

Lash out?

Rey’s pulse began to quicken. She was torn apart. Her heart told her to stay, even though her mind demanded that she left the snake behind…

_**“Rey.”** _

Force, how she hated when he used that baritone voice to call out to her.  
How she detested the way he could mix longing and hurt with her name….

But out of the blue a radiating calm interfered. She felt thick skin cover her dry right hand, which wasn’t as callous as it used to be back on Jakku.  
Rey immediately felt the warm spread within her conflicted self and how her inner conflict faded away…  
Her hazel eyes lit up, slowly. “I will help you” The memory had just returned to her and she understood that she was a fool to doubt her friends.

Rey responded with squeezing Poe’s hand in reply and a broken smile on her face. Obviously this was all the encouragement the pilot needed, before pulling Rey of Jakku away from Ben’s speechless presence.

 _ **“You can’t hide forever. I will hunt you down, scavenger.”**_ This time Ben gave into his anger before shouting his hurt out of his lungs. Rey's heart began to ache again, because she knew that Ben Organa-Solo was someone who made his promises come true…


	2. Argona's town hall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers!
> 
> I am glad you found your way back to #YBWM!
> 
> This chapter mainly explores Rey insecurities and the new dynamics between our favourite pilot and Rey.   
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 2**

The night had passed quickly and Rey was happy that Ben had not disturbed her privacy her again. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with his emotional issues at the moment, because she knew that there was no way to end their grief.

‘ _Perhaps not today… Hope, I have to hope. That is the way of the Jedi._ ’

But hope was not something one could invest in Ben Solo naively. The insight was something Rey had to learn the hard way…

“Rey, my dear. Please lighten up. We need to convince Leader Mollek of our cause…and right now you don’t look so convinced yourself.” Leia, always the elegant warrior princess, rebuked her newest protégé after the air shuttle of the Resistance's delegation landed in front of the town hall of Argona.

Rey immediately sucked in her breath, nodding insightfully and offered Leia a small smile. She wanted to fight for this woman, so she would do everything that was required of her...

Argona was very different to Niima. Needless to say it wasn’t just the vegetation that made the difference. Rhamalai's capital was the biggest city Rey had ever seen, throbbing with live and but peaceful at the same time. Leia had briefed her that the Rhamalains believed in harmony above everything else.   
Once a Jedi had settled on this planet and spread his beliefs among the rivaling nomad tribes. As a consequence the people of this green planet started working together, settled and cultivated the rich ground they lived on. Suddenly witnessing the abundance of their fields the native’s began arranging every aspect of their lives according to the teachings of the wise master and started in a period of prosperity… Today Argona was full with flowers and parks, the streets were built the way that each one would end just at the town hall and the people inhabited multilevel houses.   
  
In contrast Niima had always been a place of hardship, anarchy and death. There were no flowers, no parks (funny thing that Rey had just learned what a park actually was) and there were only small huts. Rey would have loved to be cast aside by her parents on this planet… Sarcams off.   
  
Nevertheless the former scavenger felt nervous, her movements were stiffer than usual and she felt goose bumps form under her hood. But how could she not be self-conscious? She knew what was at stake, but what was even worse was that she didn’t know what the Rhamalians would expect of her…

Almost as if Poe had sensed her discomfort, he decided to take the place next to her after descending the shuttle and waiting for the Rhamalaians to greet them. The small group of negotiators on the side of the Resistance consisted of Leia, Poe, Leia’s assistant Kaydel Konnix and their Jedi.

A fake Jedi, but since the people of Rhamalai hadn’t seen a real Jedi since the Jedi Purge “Rey would do the magic” according to the General.

“No need to be nervous, buddy. They will love you…and we just need to persuade them to give us part of their fleet” whispered Poe’s husky voice in Rey’s ear, so that she felt her little hairs on her face move and the scent mint to intoxicate her senses.

Rey rolled her eyes playfully before giving the Resistance hero a doubtful glance: “You are a hopeless optimist.”

The dark haired pilot chuckled about her comeback, but couldn’t fight the urge to respond: “If I wasn’t optimistic, I wouldn’t have boarded our transport ship.”   
The couple laughed again light heartedly.

Truly, the rusty bird had seen better days.

Somehow Leia wasn’t fond of her protegée's joking nature, so she turned around like the predator she was and gave the next generation a warning glance.   
Somehow it felt like the glance an annoyed mother would give her needy children… _Had she ever looked at Ben this way, too?_

The grand doors to the town hall of Argona opened ceremoniously, revealing a pair of trumpet players with shiny instruments. A beautiful but loud melody erupted from the trumpets, probably signalizing the arrival of important people of Argona that demanded attention. The General of the Resistance lifted her head in gracely manner, a proud smirk had formed on her lips while the melody played.

Poe on the other hand, seemed to lack etiquette and used the last undisturbed moment to whisper a few more words in the brunette Jedi's ear: “I mean it. There is no way you couldn’t make them love you.”

The force told Rey, that her friends words were sincere. He truly believed that she, a worthless _nobody_ , was a valuable ally. Next Rey couldn’t help but notice how Poe’s mouth formed an adorable winkle next to his lips every time he was flashing his signature smile. The realization made a touch of rosé enlighten her creol skin.

“Leia!” the unusual tender voice of a man greeted the group.

“It is good to see you, dear friend. I am sorry we could only receive you now…” Leia, knowing that her former influence was almost completely gone and that this audience was thanks to her political persuasion skills, shook the well-built man’s hand.

“Don’t worry, Mollek. I am only delighted to be in your calming presence now.” The man, Mollek, had bright brown hair even though his face wore wrinkles. He must have been around Leia’s age, but sorrow and pain had not marked his features. He had the presence of a leader, but his force signature told Rey that Mollek was masking his nervousness, too.

“May I introduce you to Rey of Jakku, the Jedi who terminated Snoke's existence.” Mollek looked at her with the same awe as if he had seen a long extinct creature.   
  
His strong hands had seized hers before Rey could react, shaking it through: “I am delighted, Rey!”

Leia smiled reassuringly at her charge before turning to the other representants of Argona’s town hall and exchanging pleasantries with them.

“And who are you, my friend?”

“Commander Dameron, at you service.”

“Commander? Leia told me I will have to address you as General soon.” Rey’s eyes glanced to the face of Poe, whose aura radiated in the red gloom of pride.

Poe could become a good leader. He had potential for it. Whenever the Resistance fighter entered a room, people started listening to his words and they even followed his commands. He didn’t need to rule with fear, he didn’t need to force choke his followers ( _unlike a certain someone_ ) and most important thing was that people trusted him. Certainly Poe liked to boast sometimes, acted recklessly but with time he would learn.

 _‘If he will have time to “grow” into his task…’_ Rey mused, but her attention focused on Mollek again as he gestured the pair to follow him inside the town hall.

“Master Jedi, you look indeed very young. Have you studied in the Praxeum years ago?” asked the kind looking man with eagerness in his eyes.

At first Rey hesitated to answer, because she didn’t know if a lie would do the trick. After a lie there was always another lie to follow. In the end you got lost in your own construct of lies…

So the brunette decided to stick to a vague retour: “I’m afraid I was too young back then. Master Skywalker took me in later.”

Well, she didn’t need to admit that she had been under his tutelage for a few hours only… The man nodded with sadness in his eyes.

“Yes, I am glad you survived that vile attack” replied the man back attempting to keep up the conversation. But due to Rey’s timid demeanor in company of strangers, the conversation between Argona’s leader and her soon seemed to lose its' touch. Rey resisted biting her lip. She was supposed to make conversation with that man, get him to like her and donate his ships to the Resistance! But she just wasn’t one for persuasion… especially after her latest efforts to get Ben to turn to the Light had failed so miserably…

 _ **'"I will destroy her..."'**_ Ben's voice had been full with hate as he had shouted these words towards her master, which the bond had later revealed to the orphan a few days after the Battle of Crait...

Again as if Poe had noticed her issues with Mollek, he stepped forward like the knight without shining armor and offered his help: “The camp you offered us as base is very well equipped. We got settled in quite easily.”

Mollek nodded, turning his head away from the quiet Jedi: “Yes. The camp wasn’t in use since the Fall of the Empire. So stay as long as you need to.”   
While Mollek chatted a bit with Poe about Rhamalaia’s role during the fight against Vader and Palpatine, the group of negotiators walked through the marble halls of Argona’s town house. The height of the ceiling reminded Rey about the inner of a Star Destroyer wreck she used to scavenge in on Jakku. The one, in which she had almost broken her neck at the age of eleven… Quickly pushing the sour memories aside, the brunette decided it was time to join the conversation again as her companions began speaking about the threat in form of the First Order.

“…The new Supreme Leader promised to liberate the trading of resources among the systems in the Varada Sector. Rhamalai could profit from this scheme…” Mollek pointed out softly, signalizing that not everything the First Order had to offer was to their disadvantage. Poe seemed a bit lost and in need of a proper come back, because his expertise focused on battle plans and engines. In addition to Poe’s limited knowledge about economy, it was true that a resource-poor agri planet like Rhamalai could profit massively from free trade of resources and Kylo, like the spouse of a political leader he was, knew that he had to follow a politic of carrots and sticks in order to keep the Galaxy running...

“Yes, but…” the handsome pilot started to ramble insecurely and tried to prepare an argument. But Rey felt an urge to cut in and if she had learnt something in Jakku it was that one should always follow their instincts: “The Dark Side never changes. It deceives and offers an easy path. But that path is extreme and brings unbalance on the long run.”

The two men were now looking at the lips of the Jedi as if she had just voiced an epiphany. As a consequence Mollek seemed to delve into thoughts again, small wrinkles now decorating his features, before excusing himself to seek the General’s company. Rey’s heartbeat hammered against her throat.

Did she say the wrong thing? Or was he convinced by her… description of the dark side?

She shot Poe an unsettled glance, which he only returned with a heartly smile.

“You will definitely win them over, wise Jedi” was the last thing he whispered towards her, before giving her wrist an affirmative squeeze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be full with a jelous Kylo, so don't forget to bookmark, leave kudos and/or comment!


	3. Priority plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for returning to #YBWM!
> 
> I didn't plan to update tonight but as it is Valentine's Day...  
> I have to make an exception and get the hearts of you sweathearts to pound a bit more ;-)

**Chapter 3**

Kylo was pacing up and down in ~~Snoke’s~~ his throne room. The lights were dimmed, so the only colors one could take in were a dark crimson and various shades of black. But Kylo’s mind was occupied by the darkness as most people would have assumed… Images of a golden skin, freckles and laughter crept into his consciousness too often. He was just going through a strategic paper with economical measurements to expand the trade within the Outer Rim as he felt _her_ again.

In short: that detestable bond haunted him. More than ever.                            

  
_No,_ actually the bond wasn’t at fault per se. _Rey_ was in fact plaguing his mind (even though she tried her best to ignore his presence every time the Force worked against them and brought them together… _)_.

Kylo felt his mouth turn into a discontent grimace. Yes, the mere thought of that ungrateful scavenger made his spit taste bitter. It was wrong to be so affected by the heir of the Jedi order! His new/reinstated nemesis. The dark sider knew that every thought he formed about the scavenger was forbidden. It didn’t help him achieve a New Order in the Galaxy. In fact it had quite a contradicting effect. Nevertheless he felt incapable to stop. He felt like a man starving for attention, which for one he will never obtain and second shouldn’t wish to receive…

He was a mess. Again. This is what she had done to him…

Even though his former master had claimed to have linked their minds in order to trap Rey, deep inside the heir to the Skywalker family had always doubted the revelation. There was no way his master had such an extent of control over the Force. If so, then why would he have been in need of a ‘ _new Vader_ ’ to conquer the Galaxy …?!

It was a lie. Part of a scheme the old being had been playing, which unfortunately ended in his death. ~~His fa~~ A man he once knew had always reminded him to act smart and to play his hand right… It seemed like Snoke had less talent for gambling than he originally thought.

But back to his current problems.

Back to his nemesis?

Bond mate?

One side of the Supreme Leader hated her, hated watching her living an illusion with his mother and her group of rebels.

Friends.   
Is that what they were to her?   
That malfunctioning storm trooper, the cocky flyboy and his pathetic mother?   
For how long had she known them anyway!?

They should mean nothing to her…Especially in comparisom to him. The companion the force had chosen for her…but no.

What hurt him the most was, that deep inside the lord and master of the Ren Knights knew how much that group of delusional martyrs had already crawled into Rey’s golden heart.   
And how had they managed to capture Rey’s good will? Because they had welcomed with open arms as soon as she had showed interest in their cause?!  
  
_Naïve scavenger…_  
  
Of course they would to that! The Resistance tried to activate (just as the First Order did) new recruits among their sympathizers. Rey, the secluded desert ~~rose~~ rat she was, used to be oblivious to the fight between the Order and the Resistance up until her meeting with the traitor.   
  
Grudgingly Kylo remembered the reason from the brunette’s mind outtakes why she had joined the Resistance’s project. It had been the fault of that bloody droid.

What could have become of _them_ if it would have been _him_ that had found the slim thing in the desert banks on that shithole planet?   

The force user felt how the muscles in his lower arm clenched painfully, which caused small objects on his working desk to tremble. Noticing his involuntary loss of control, Kylo quickly halted in his use of the force. The frustration however, remained. The new Supreme Leader exhaled the pent up air from his lungs while thinking about her.

Yes, she would have been loyal to the First Order if he had found her before the rebellious scums! Snoke would have had allowed him to train her, to form her into polished diamond and he would have turned her into the most respected woman in the Galaxy. With time she would have opened up to him, her heart warming up to his inadequacies and returned his affections… and one day they would have ruled together.

His eyes darkened at the image from the force vision, in which they were standing side by side, their hands linked in a loved way, floating above the Palace in Corouscant in their flag ship. Had the force lied to him? Or had the fate not been decided as their hands had touched?

Had he destroyed a possible partnership with her?  
Involuntary?  
It was possible…he was never good in dealing with other people…

The notion painfully reminded Kylo now of the scene he had witnessed a few minutes before. In the beginning there was nothing special about the way the force had connected them, so Kylo wasn’t prepared for what he had witnessed…With a sudden _popp_ he had been engulfed by the silence and was being catapulted into Rey’s word, or had she been brought to his? Kylo hadn’t figured out the mechanics of the force bond, yet…

The first abnormality in their meeting had been that Rey hadn’t been training as she usually did in the mornings. She hadn’t tried to channel the Light Side of the Force and plead for guidance like she always exercised to through applying (incorrect) meditation techniques.

Instead he had witnessed Rey sharing a caring moment with someone as soon as he entered her sphere. The self-proclaimed ruler of the Galaxy was used to her speaking to inconsequential scum, but that she let any of them touch her was something new. Or wasn’t it? As far as the link between their minds had revealed to Kylo, Rey used to hate too much proximity as she wasn’t used to it. The delicate female quickly felt suffocated and trapped by others, secretly doubting the pure intentions of her peers. That was the reason why **the most intimate thing he had tried with her was touching her hand**! For Force’s sake: even childhood sweathearts had more action next to the sand box than he… No, he had to put a halt to his traitorous thoughts before it was too late and he destroyed the throne room once again.

The most agitating thing was the second difference today’s force bond session contained. Usually Rey ignored his presence during his visits. At first the dismissal had hurt Kylo in a place he hadn’t known still existed, but he had soon gotten over the hurt and turned his anger into strength…Just like Snoke had told him to do. Actually by now the lost son had actually gotten used to the silent treatment and the disappointed glances the scavenger spared him whenever she thought he wasn’t looking. He had made his peace with how things had turned out between them. It was for the better, anyway.

By ignoring her he wouldn’t be tempted the female’s false promises…or by the vital beat of her heart or the 56 freckles on her face! However today the infuriating thing had found a new way to torture his broken soul via their bond.

But today she hadn’t ignored him. Instead she locked eye’s with him, sparing him a wary glance as if he had caught her carrying out a forbidden act. Kylo gulped. Actually he would have overcome the fact that she had acknowledged him with fear in her eyes today… However what he couldn’t handle well was the way she had bestowed a smile upon a man that wasn’t him… And the man had a _name_ , Kylo had recognized the voice of Rey’s companion quickly, even if she had tried to hide his identity.

Rey was fraternizing with Poe Dameron. Dameron, that reckless shit. Retrospectively the Ren Knight regretted not crushing that pilot’s skull with a flick of his wrist after he had extracted the information he needed.

The image of Rey’s white teeth while flashing her smile had burned into the Supreme Leader’s mind ever since then. Hence the reason he couldn’t concentrate…

 ** _‘There was never a smile when we got connected…_** ’  
   
Even before Crait, whenever they had talked the Jedi apprentice had looked lost in thoughts and quite sad. Blimey, she had even cried in his presence (multiple times)!

But hadn’t there been something else, too?

Rey’s daring move to extend her hand towards him right after letting him know that his solitude had ended. The quickening of her pulse as she had landed in the Falcon’s escape pod and locked eyes with him. The way she had approached him in the elevator, hope and want in shimmering in her hazel eyes as she told him about her vision of _them_.

_Not to forget the way she had put a hand on my tight…_

Fuck, the mere thought caused his limbs to shiver…

And now she just had gotten behind his back again, offering her smile like some cheap courtesan to a worthless Resistance poster boy.   

The trembling of the objects began again and strangely, Kylo couldn’t care less this time about his lack of control.

Something primal and ancient had awoken in him, just like when he had uttered his threat to the scavenger at the end of their last bond meeting.

_“ **You can’t hide forever. I will hunt you down, scavenger.”**_

The words still lingered on his lips, making him bite his lower lip in aggression.

Rey of Jakku was his. _His alone_. The bloody force had literally tied them together! She couldn’t deny it in the long run…   
But the feisty little scavenger obviously needed a reminder.

So perhaps it wasn’t unwise to withhold his goal to terminate the Resistance?   
Even if he didn’t want to admit it, the new leader of the First Order had intentionally shifted his attention away from the miserable leftover of his mother uprising for her. Deep down he had hoped to obtain her approval by it. Get on her the brunette’s good side again, perhaps even make her forgive him and break the wretched silence between them.

But it seems that his plan held flaws.

He had never calculated Rey actually seeking the _affection_ of other man. He couldn’t let anyone take away her first hug? Kiss? Virginity?

An image of Rey snuggling suggestively into the chest of a Resistance fighter popped into his mind. Mixed with the sound of a certain pilot moaning her name… Force, he would skin him alive…

Without further clear thoughts, the jealousy overpowered Kylo Ren. The Master of the Knights of Ren stretched out his hand like a bolt, calling onto his lightsaber before throwing one of his famous temper tauntrums.

This time a spyglass in the corner of the throne room suffered his rage.   
How he wished it was someone else…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos, Comments and Bookmarks are always welcome and help me to continue sooner :-D 
> 
> Next chapter: Another force bond session *ahem*


	4. A fool and the hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers! 
> 
> The new update took me longer then expected, but it was worth it. This chapter is not only longer, but it is packed with our favourite tragic pair of lovers ;-) 
> 
> ENJOY!

**Chapter 4**

It felt pleasant not to be bothered by Ben’s constant brooding over their bond, but the fact the dark sider had chosen to stay away after his threat caused a strange feeling under Rey’s skin. The meeting between the Resistance and the people of Argona had just reached it’s final phase. Like the General had explained to Rey (during their secret training of how to eat with cutlery…) the reception involved a four course meal, before the informal part of the evening would start.

And by R’iia, Rey had never had such a good meal in her life. EVER!

Until now she had believed the rich white liquid, which came out of the boobs of that strange animal on Ach-Too was the heights of all bonne bouches in the galaxy. But blimey, she had been so wrong again! It had taken her almost all her willpower not to grab the bowl of the second course in front of her, which had contained a strange red cherry soup with whipped cream and swallow all of its content down in one go.

But seriously, how was it even possible to prepare such good meals? And what SOUP was sweet anyways! It was almost as if the Rhamalaian’s used their cooking skills to mislead her to breach the etiquette.

Another course was placed before the light sider and Rey hid her content smile after a spoon of cold and thick cream made first contact with her tongue. The brunette had heard tails of that something called “ice cream” by Poe and the others, but had never imagined she would fancy something cold again after the events on Starkiller. Again, she had been a fool.

“You are just like a huge puppy, Rey. Everything is new to you…” the memory of the contagious laugh of her friends echoed in her head, while she quickly showed another loaded spoon in between her lips.

But then something happened.  
Something felt wrong.

The ice cream didn’t feel pleasant anymore!  
Why?

Why was it cold, soo cold?!

Her lips started to burn unnaturally. Her bloody inciscors hurt like as if someone had struck her hard in the face and her teeth got the most of the hit.

The feeling of numbness wandered from her mouth towards the inside of her nose. Rey couldn’t help but to twist her lips as if she was in pain.

It was just then, that she heard an involuntary chuckle from Poe’s direction. Just before the others attendants joined the pilot’s smiles soundly.

_Oh shit. Have I done something wrong?_  
_Have I breached the useless etiquette?_

In horror Rey’s eye’s had widened, feeling stupid for having made a fool of herself. Especially because she didn’t know the reason she was laughed at! Had she confused how to eat ice cream? Quickly the former scavenger’s eyes checked the cutlery.

_No, other than the spoon I use there is only a cheese knife left…_  
  
Or was she supposed to cut the ice cream first? What was the problem?! Force, she really didn’t want to be a disappointment to Leia… especially after she had sacrificed four hours to teach her how to behave in society properly!

Hesitating Rey gathered her courage to raise her chin and look her companions into the laughing face.

“Never had a cold shock effect before, Rey?” Poe offered her the answer to her questions. Rey blushed. Perhaps the reason for the sudden pain had been that she wasn’t used to eating cold stuff… she would ask later.

“Master Jedi! If you allow me the question. What planet do you originate from?” Mollek, being more relaxed because of the wine inside his system, began to question Rey again.

The appealed placed her spoon on the side of her dish: “I come from a very hot planet. It is my first time trying ice cream, actually.” It was a meaningless justification, but enough to keep Arcona’s leaders interest.

“Ah, I see. Jedi still live a humble life….but you are right, master Jedi, too many possessions spoil the character” the bearded man offered kindly, behaving as if he was meditating over whatever wisdom Rey’s short sentences may give him.

Rey’s hand began to tremble nervously. It was now or never. Leia had proposed to her protégé to highlight how the First Order wanted to enact a system which went against the teachings of Rhamalaia’s former Jedi master of harmony. Mollek would believe her, if he truly believed that she was a member of the Jedi Order.

Rey’s gaze concentrated on the tall Rhamalaian’s feature before wetting her lower lip lightly: “I know that too much possession corrupts the character. Just like you do, Leader Mollek... Although the First Order doesn’t believe in this mantra. They want to enslave the galaxy and gather every asset under their thumb.” It was a bold move to openly criticize the strongest military force in the galaxy, so naturally everyone within the room stopped their conversation in order to listen to the brunette. But would it be enough to sway Rhamalai’s loyalty to the side of the Resistance?  
“Even if the Order’s offering to your planet now looks like a generous offer, the one to profit most will be the Supreme Leader.”

An image of Ben sitting on his golden throne, his long gloved fingers gently resting on the arm pads of the opulent seat while commanding the whole galaxy flooded Rey’s thoughts. He didn’t wear his mask, so the whole universe knew how deep his gaze was and how deadly calm his demeanor could be. His silky hair was cornering his long face, a faint light highlighting the shimmer of his raven locks. He didn’t look well. More angry than relaxed. Even if his strong body, regal features and handsome (in an uncommon way) made him look undefeatable. Inside Rey knew her bond mate was stressed out. The muscle under his eye trembled slightly, which Rey signalized Rey that Ben felt uncertain. The Jedi’s mouth began to feel dry.

_Is that what you are doing right now, Ben? Ruling? Feeling alone and stressed?_

It was a powerful image that burned into her skull. Rey couldn’t fight the feeling of wanting to comfort her nemesis…

But she knew that she had to act against him. She owed it to the Resistance, peace and justice.

“Kylo Ren has chosen the Dark Side as his ally. Nothing will ever be enough to state his appetite for power. He won’t rest until he will subdue the whole Galaxy and unite every possession under his rule.”

Mollek averted his gaze, nodding. He scanned the room. His eye landed on Leia, who held his stare with determination. Then the Rhamalaian looked down at his plate, grabbed a napkin to clean his hands before putting his fingers around the shaft of his drinking vessel. The silence in the room was disturbed by the leader pushing his seat resolutely back while standing up. Every person in the room, including Rey, followed his example.

Raising his cup the man whispered: “You are right, Master Jedi. Rhamalai devotes itself to the course of the Light. We will stand by your side until the darkness disappears once more.”

Rey’s eyes immediately searched Leia’s who bestowed a motherly smile upon her brother’s last apprentice: “Hear, hear!”

…

The evening commenced further, Leia and Poe had immediately started to outline to the Leader of Rhamalai what type of ships from their fleet the Resistance required. Meanwhile Rey was left alone with Kaydel. Kaydel was a nice girl, funny and loyal to Leia and Poe. But Rey had problems getting along with her. They tried to talk about communalities or common interest, but found they had hardly any. Then a few Rhamalaian’s other than Mollek dared to approach the Jedi. It was an exhausting experience…

After a while Rey excused herself to grab some fresh air, feeling distressed about her lack of social interaction skills and feeling of lying to these nice people.  
Entering the large balcony of Arcona’s town halls dining room Rey felt a cold breezy caressing her skin. She decided that she enjoyed it.

The next thing to catch her eye were the beautiful lights of the town. It was as if a thousand fireflies danced a strangely harmonic dance. Rey felt herself relax by the sight.

_I did it. They will help us…thank you R’iia for helping me!_ Rey prayed inaudibly, a content smile manifesting on her facial features. Was the Resistance safe now? Would they be able to stop the First Order?

_Ben._

Her mind got stuck on _him_ again.

To tell the truth something twisted and carnal inside of her was missing that lying snake’s presence and the urge to call out to him became harder to bear every day. Every time Ben wasn’t paying attention, Rey couldn’t help herself to eye him secretly. Knowing he was somehow well and alive calmed her nerves, even if she knew how toxic and dangerous empathy for the Supreme Leader was. It was her weakness.

The bitter threat from his lips still echoed in her head now. Rey knew that Ben had reacted out of hurt when he spit the menace towards her, because it was the only way he knew to convert his feelings but it caused a shudder down her spine nonetheless... Still the former scavenger hadn’t expected him to rile up so much at the sight of Poe and her becoming friendly with each other.

_Were you able to calm down, Ben_?

Rey almost snorted at the notion.

Deep inside neither Kylo Ren nor Ben Solo was evercalm. His sensitive soul had obtained far too many scars (self-inflicted or not didn’t matter) in order to function withput disturbance.

_It had helped him when I was with him, though…_

Screw life. Why couldn’t Ben desert from the First Order? They had a future together! Why had he denied it?  
Was it the curse of the _Chosen One_?

With another wave of the wind the silence had returned, so Rey had to start fighting the notion of feeling sheltered in Ben’s presence. She wasn't supposed to relax in his presence. It wasn't healthy nor beneficial, for neither of them.

The tall man with the dark cloak slowly appeared next to her. Immediately searching for her orbs with his emotional eyes…

“Rey” Ben whispered, looking calmer than the last time she had met him.

“Kylo Ren.”

Rey felt how something pure shrunk inside her nemesis’s soul after she addressed him with his moniker. Rey knew that even if her use of his dark sider name Ben wouldn’t ask her to return to call him Ben…

_Proud prick._

“So you decided to express yourself again?” The question was loaded with the Ren Knight’s cynism. Rey decided that it was too early to become mad at him, so she simply nodded.

“…- Is this part of your plot to get rid of me?” He broke off the eye contact while whispering the question.

Rey snorted rather unladylike and the tension developed further. If getting rid of him would be so easy.  
In the mask of Kylo _fucking_ Ren Ben Solo was the most powerful force user at present.   
He was the Chosen One.  
A bastillon in the universe.   
Even with her limited experience Rey didn't question the Force's choice.  
  
“If I wanted to get rid of you... I would have done it while you lay with your head down…” she admitted her weakness to her nemesis and referred to the aftermath of their dispute in the throne room. She would probably never be able to end Ben’s life personally. It simply felt like an act against nature.

Ben quickly regarded the brunette, his aura containing a hint of hope and compassion.

“Organa’s plan, then?” he questioned feeling overwhelmed with the ambigious atmosphere amongst them.

Rey could feel with Ben. Their situation was strange... were they enemies or bond mate's? Both? How did one act in presence of your enemy/soul mate?

_What am I to you, Ben?_

In the eye's of an uninvolved third person they were (without question) true enemies, whether one took their political commitment or favourable side of the force into account. But only a few weeks ago they had been friends, allies and…something else. The bond had magically tied their souls together and put Ben Solo into the light of the perfect brother, teacher, friend and possible lover to Rey. Did this even make sense?

To Rey and even perhaps to Ben, it did.

Rey exhaled tiredly, turning her head to check on their companions inside of the dining hall.

“I don’t want to talk about politics, Ben. I am fed up with it.”

The Supreme Leader grumbled passively, but Rey felt that he didn’t wish to continue ideological conflicts this evening.

“You haven’t spoken to me for a long time. What changed your mind?”

It was a reasonable questions which Rey didn’t wish couldn't really answer herself, so she decided to reply with the only notion she was certain of: “I missed speaking to you.”

With the revelation Rey gathered all her courage to lock eyes with Ben and at once bathed in the piercing gaze of her bond mate. A blush highlighted her high cheekbones as she noticed how Ben opened his lip as if he was taken by suprise…

They had a moment there.  
Their first moment since the elevator.  
The bond hummed with approval, the world seemed to slow down so only the incarnation of light and dark existed.  
Ben hesitated, but Rey saw him slowly lift his saber hand towards her palm which was resting on the balcony rail of Argona’s town hall.

Did Rey want him to touch her?  
She wasn’t sure.  
Torn apart.  
But the carnal need inside her wished his glove would alreaddy cool her burning skin...

Ben Solo and Kylo Ren awakened contradicting feelings within the apprentice of Luke Skywalker. Having the bond only caused more doubts and problems...  
But why did it feel so right to give into the urge to contact Ben?

However Ben stopped as his hand had overcome half the distance between their bodies.  
It was awkward.

The bond signalized distress.

Ben clenched his gloved fist, averting his gaze in order to bite on his lower lip.  
It was the brunette’s turn to hesitate to ask what troubled him, but she felt paralyzed by the anger Ben projected over their connection.

“You are tricking me, _scavenger_. I won’t be fooled again!” The crumbling sound of Ben's leather gloves while clencing his fists undermined his hateful words.

Rey’s brows furrowed in wonder.

When had she tried to trick him?  
What was his problem?

_Bloody lunatic._

“Return to your little pilot and entertain him with your scheme!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like it?
> 
> Leave a comment/kudo or bookmark #YBWM! It really helps me to know if I got the tragic Ben/Kylo/Rey paintrain on the right track. 
> 
> Next chapter will contain more Reylo and Damerey.  
> Someone will steal a kiss!


	5. A couple of firsts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> Thank you for returing to #YBWM!
> 
> This chapter will focus on Ben (and his new plan) annnd our favourite heroine.  
> Some lips will also get kissed, so enjoy!

Chapter 5

Kylo felt how his body was shaking slightly even after the bond had broken off his little chat with Rey.

What had just happened there?  
Was the Jedi telling sweet lies?  
Or had the truth escaped the scavenger’s soft lips?

“I missed speaking to you.”

Well damn him if that sentence would not hunt his every thought from now on…!

But the question that remained was, whether Rey’s sudden change of attitude was part of a bigger game or not.

The Ren Knight clenched his fist, again. Hard. So hard that his knuckles began to whiten under the pressure...  
He wanted to believe her. Somehow his feelings, perhaps even the bond suggested him to trust in his counterparts forthrightness.

_Yes, it is not in her character to lie and scheme_ … thought the Supreme Leader anxiously, while doubting. He did not dare to jump to conclusions too fast.

_What about the throne room, then?  
Hadn’t she made me believe that she will stand beside me. Join me? _

A growl escaped the dark cloaked ruler’s throat without him intending it.

_And Dameron? Why did she act so...friendly...with him?_

A fist crashed against the next wall, causing the hidden electricity behind the wall panel to give up its function, so the dim light over his head died down.

The leader of the First Order sighted in frustration.

He was so weak when it came to her. Not that he was the epitome of someone being in full control over his emotions, but in the presence of his bond mate he became even more pathetic. Snoke would have referred to him as a _boy_ , if he would have witnessed how jumpy and inconsequential his successor acted in _the Jedi's_ presence. 

The darkness engulfed the dark sider once more.

Why could nothing work in his favor?

He had killed his master for his other half, only to be betrayed and left behind by her. Now he had to rule an empire _alone_ , which was as instable as a bloody house of cards. He needed to give orders on his own, negotiate difficult deals and decide about the next steps. Most of these new tasks caused Kylo Ren to get more stressed then usual. Nothing worked out the way he originally intended it… even if it was all because of the countless failures and uselessness of his subordinates, the result remained the same. And let’s not talk about the fact that the arrogant stick in the ass ginger was pulling strings in the background to get rid of his head right now.

_Sithspit,_ he needed another person next to him.  
An ally.  
A person who was strong in the fields he failed to impress with his talents.  
He needed _her_ next to him!

But she had thrown him away carelessly.  
And even if he gave into the weakness to believe in her tempting words… she would never leave that pack.

_She wouldn't, would she?_

The bond hummed with excitement as the pale man began to just thin about the possibility.  
She had not been able to stay away and ignore him for long.  
And the reason for it?   
Evident.   
  
The lean brunette had felt the pull just as he did.

Perhaps she was plagued by the same traitorous thoughts, too?

The prince of the dark side recalled the blush that had painted his nemesis's high cheekbones in his presence. Needless to say the image alone would be another reason to cause him to spend the rest of the night sleepless at the desk beside his wide king size bed...

_Bloody hell. She is fighting the thing between us, too! But she is failing, just like I do._

Perhaps it wasn’t too late?

The new revelation had a smile creep into the winkles of the solitary force user’s mouth corners.

He decided to believe that the scavenger wasn’t tricking him. At least not intentionally.  
If he could just… get her to understand how good they could be together…

_Just like when we fought side by side..._  
  
Perhaps she would understand, then?

_There **must** be something I can do to open her eyes._

His arms carefully tangled behind his back, so the leader of the autoriterian Order felt his spine straighten and his neck muscle cracked from turning his head to the side.

How could he use the bond to get his other to understand?  
What did he actually know about force bonds?

_I used to have one with Snoke. Even if it was a faint one…_ the mechanic’s behind the Knight’s thick locks began to work.

_Snoke was able to talk to me._  
_Okay, I can do that with Rey, too._  
_But Snoke was able to reach out to me like all the time… or?_

...

  
_So there must be a way to control the bond._

_..._

_Not like talking to her worked in my favor…ever._

_Fuck. There must be something else..._

_What else, man?!_  
  
THINK!

Automatically the tall man had turned his head from side to side another time, so another cracking sound echoed from his sore neck.

_Snoke…was able to visit me in my dreams._  
_Yes._  
As a child, Snoke had been almost constantly been inside his subconcsience. His former master had exploited the weakness of his awareness while sleeping in order to manipulate him.  
 _He had even nurtured my mind with certain dreams._  
Sometimes his skeleton finger’s had even casted the outlines of his nightmares.   
  
_…_  
  
 _And if Snoke was able to influence me during my sleep with a bond so faint…_  
 _What can I do to Rey, then?!_

Determined and full of vigor the Supreme Leader practically ran out of his throne room on the Supremacy, making his way to his ship in order to fly to the _Temple_.

Korriban. The home of the Sith.  
If there was an answer of how to use the force bond in his favor than he would find it there…

The Supreme Leader had been so invested in the idea, that he had forgotten his next appointment with Admiral Hux half an hour after he left the _Supremacy_ …

\---------------------

Meanwhile the delegation had found their way back to the Resistance camp.

Needless to say that the success of the negotiations was celebrated like the downfall of the First Order. The General had briefly informed every Resistance fighters that the Rhamalaian fleet was to their disposal within a week and that the spark was still there! They only needed to believe in their victory and others would be persuaded by the rightness of their cause, too.

Rey felt how the warm words of the former Princess set the fire within her chest on fire once more. It nurtured her hope. Caressed her broken soul.  
But how could she not?  
The General was the best person she had ever made acquaintance with.

She had always the best interest of others in her mind.  
Acted selflessly.  
And motherly.  
The Jedi wanted to believe in her. So she did.

Kaydel, Poe and Finn were already dancing with some strange purple berry wine in their hands. There was loud music playing in the room the Resistance used as mess during the day. The lights were dimmed.  
Most members of the underground Opposition to the Frist Order were enjoying themselves. There was laughter, there were couples and someone even moved like a robot!

Rey couldn’t help but smile, while leaning against the wall next to the entrance.  
She decided to only observe the crowd for now, especially since she had never been to a “party” before and didn’t know how to behave exactly.

Leia passed her after she had excused herself from the cheering crowd. Whilst passing the brunette apprentice of her brother, the elder General stopped by the young woman:   
“I want to thank you for today, Rey. You did good.” Even in the dim light noticed how deep the wrinkles in the eye’s of the Resistance’s leader were and how pale she had become compared to earlier. For Leia’s condition one could probably blame the age or the stress. But Rey knew better after taking in the elder’s aura.  
  
Leia was sad.  
  
The General’s otherwise unmistakably white force signature had darkened as if put under a veil just like the one time Leia had revealed to Rey that she believed that her son was truly lost.  
_“There is no good left in him…”_ the memory of the way Leia’s calm voice had trembled while revealing this statement still rung painfully in Rey’s ears.  

What was even sadder that the former orphan of Jakku didn't know how to comfort the good woman.  
Even if she had a deep wish to be able to do it, she didn't dare to try.  
What could _she_ (a nobody) possibly say to a woman, who had lost her husband, brother and countless friends to the hand of her beloved son?

So most nights Leia had troubles fighting the sadness in the evenings and Rey couldn’t bame her for it.

“Thank you, Leia… If you need someone to talk to-, I mean…I don’t want to interfere…but I am here for you.” The taller woman only nodded and it was as if the grip of the sadness had loosed around her chest for a second, before she passed her unopened bottle of berry wine in the hands of her son’s bond mate.

“You should enjoy yourself more, Rey! Go dance. Mingle. Drink. This is an order.” With a wink of her right eye the General left the mess hall behind and retired.

Rey sighted exhaustedly, but opened the shutter of the bottle anyway.

She couldn’t refuse a direct order now, could she?

Making her way towards her friends, Rose (who had been to the bathroom until now) caught up with Rey, giving the taller Jedi a hug from behind.

“Reeey! I am soooo happy! I heard how awesome you were with Mollek!” The last bit of the technician’s was slurred. The wine seemed to work on her.

Rey stiffened, unsure of how to return the sudden display of affection.  
Rose was nice, but being gripped by her caused the force user’s chest to tighten. It didn’t feel good. They weren’t that familiar with one another that Rey considered hugging…!

It didn’t feel natural and comfortable…Not like the time when Ben had carefully touched her hand…

As if the younger Tico sister had sensed the Jedi’s struggle with her affection, she let go and encouraged her to dance.

“Come on, Master Jedi. We want to dance! I can’t control Finn and Poe on my own!” A giggle escaped the black head’s wide mouth, while she began to rhythmically shake her hips.

“Rose! Rey!” Finn shouted exitedly.

“Yeah, it is high time you two return to our sides! We were getting lonely!” Poe tried to yell towards the female fighters, so that the music wouldn’t suppress his words.

Meanwhile Finn had snuck his arms around the petite form of Rose already, giving her forehead a kiss before Poe had stepped before Rey.

Poe acted as if he just belonged among the celebrating crowd. Rey didn't even need to question, whether he had been to a celebration before...  
He was moving casually. Smoothly.

It seemed his style of dancing was more timid then the one Robot man was doing on one of the tables… but the intoxicating smell of his cologne mixed with a bit of sweat hit Rey’s nose at once.

The pilot lifted his bottle so they could clink glasses, which Rey intuitively accepted, before the pair drew the bottles to their lips in order to drink.

The wine tasted…fantastic. A bit sour, but actually really tasty!

Rey smiled happily, taking another sip.

“So this is your first party, Rey?” Poe crooked an eyebrow, eyeing his motionless interlocutor.

Rey stammered: “Yeah…well, on Jakku we didn’t really celebrate. There was _nothing_ to celebrate or celebrate with.” It was a sincere joke, one that Poe didn’t find too amusing though.

“Then I must show you to how to party?” he suggested leaning a bit more forward, the moisture of his breath brushing the Jedi’s small ear.

His advance was met with a shrug, but that was enough for the Resistance’s best pilot to pursue his goal further. Taking Rey’s small hand into his free one, he lifted it up so Rey was forced to make a slow spin under his arm. Rey felt her heart beat quicken as she got excited about dancing.  
It seemed Poe was not just a good pilot, but a bloody good entertainer, too. Soon he got the desert girl to wiggle with her shoulders, spin and even dance close to him.

And Rey enjoyed herself. She laughed whenever she stepped on the older figher’s toe by chance or when he did a strange dance move.

A few songs later Finn and Rose had danced closer to Poe and Rey, forming a group while shaking their bodies to the rhythm and Rey couldn’t help and finished her bottle of wine faster than she intended to.

Not having tasted any methyl alcohol until the tender age of 21, Rey felt the impact of the fermented berry juice quickly. Her head started to spin unnaturally.

A scratch in the bond caused her head to spin a bit more. The Jedi decided it was best to ignored the itching feeling completely, shutting her mind off from her bond mate once more.

After Rey had halted in her movements, the dark haired heir to General Organa quickly checked if she was alright.

“No, I guess the berry wine is too much for me” Rey responded panicking a bit from the nausea that seemed to get worse with every passing second.

“I need some fresh air” she informed Poe hastily, before storming out of the room.

It was an awful feeling. Her head was spinning and she felt like vomiting.  
Why had she drunk all the wine so fast?

As the cold air touched her heated skin, Rey immediately felt better. Not too good, but better.  
Without checking her surroundings, the untrained light sider uncoordinatedly sat down on the steps before the camps main entrance.

_Fuck, this is not good._

A moment later she heard the hiss of the automatic doors behind her, but Rey couldn’t bother to look at who arrived.

“Rey. There you are!” the husky voice of Poe exclaimed urgently, just before popping down on the cold stone steps next to the brunette.

“You still feeling funny?”

Rey only nodded, trying to concentrate on something else than her upset stomach.

“Take this” Poe shoved a small flacon towards the female force user, who eyed the object skeptically.

“I don’t think I can take another drink, Poe…” she exclaimed carefully, trying not to vomit.

“Wha- No! This is a neutralizer. Take it and you won’t feel sick anymore.”

_Oh god, this man knows what I need._

Without a second thought the content of the flacon went down in Rey’s throat. It burned…and tasted like sand. Salty. Yeah, that drink was really salty.

But suddenly…the uneasiness was gone!

“Bloody hell, Poe! That is magic!” Poe laughed in return.

“It costs a fortune to get a Tatooine sobering up elixir…but the price is worth the magic it does.”

Rey halted: “Shit. How much do I owe you?” Rey had turned her head towards her friend, noticing how their shoulders were touching lightly.

The pilot laughed darkly, a smug smile appearing on his thin lip: “There aren’t enough credits to compensate me…”

Rey grasped, obviously not getting the allusion, before opening her mouth in order to question her companion’s last remark.

But it was too late.

Poe’s mouth had landed against Rey’s, whose eye’s widened in shock.

It took the daredevil only a second to notice that his object of desire didn’t resist, before he started to carefully move his lips. He nibbled twice, before withdrawing from Rey’s motionless lips.

Another laugh erupted from the next leader of the Resistance, while catching Rey’s eye: “Guess I have to teach you how to kiss, too?”

Rey could only gulp in a dumbfounded manner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did you like it?
> 
> Do you think that Rey liked the kiss?  
> And will Ben be able to visit Rey in her dreams, soon?  
> Next time...we will find out
> 
> Until then: please comment, leave a kudo or bookmark. There is nothing that motivates a writer more than a nice comment ;-)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.
> 
> BTW: Comments help me write the next chapter faster ;-)


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